System and method for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment over a network

Abstract

A system and method for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services from a physician to a patient over network is provided. A physician call center enables any of a first plurality of physician terminals to be in audiovisual communication over the network with any of a second plurality of patient terminals. A call is received at the call center from a patient at one of the patient terminals and the call is routed to an available physician at one of the physician terminals. The available physician may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient, visually observe the patient, and make an assessment whether the patient may be suffering from an acute non-urgent condition. The available physician may conduct an examination of the patient over the network, including by visual study of the patient, only if the assessment is that the patient may be suffering from an acute non-urgent condition.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services from a physician to a patient over a network, the method comprising: 
       a. providing a physician call center enabling any of a first plurality of physician terminals to be in audiovisual communication over the network with any of a second plurality of patient terminals;  
       b. receiving a call at the physician call center from a patient at one of the patient terminals and routing the call to an available physician at one of the physician terminals, so that the available physician may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient; and  
       c. permitting the available physician to make an assessment whether the patient may be suffering from an acute non-urgent condition, and to conduct an examination of the patient over the network, including by a visual study of the patient, only if the assessment is that the patient may be suffering from an acute non-urgent condition.  
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising having the patient stand in the course of the examination, so as to provide a basis for a gross evaluation of patient condition. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein making an assessment includes making an assessment in accordance with a protocol. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein providing a physician call center enabling any of a first plurality of physician terminals to be in audiovisual communication over the network with any of a second plurality of patient terminals includes providing a second plurality of patient terminals such that unrestricted access to one or more of the patient terminals is permitted. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein receiving a call at the physician call center from a patient includes providing a telephone in one or more of the patient terminals that permits direct access to the physician call center upon lifting the receiver. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 3 , wherein making an assessment in accordance with the protocol includes making an assessment in accordance with a protocol stored in a database. 
     
     
       7. A method according either of claims  3  or  6 , wherein making an assessment in accordance with the protocol includes displaying in real time a relevant segment of the protocol to the available physician. 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein permitting the physician to prescribe a treatment includes permitting the physician to refer the patient to a third party for treatment. 
     
     
       9. A method according to  claim 8 , wherein referring the patient to a third party for treatment includes referring the patient to one or more of a primary care physician, specialist, hospital, emergency room, ambulance service or clinic. 
     
     
       10. A method according to either of claims  8  or  9 , wherein referring the patient to a third party includes communicating with the third party via an electronic link included in a relevant segment of a protocol stored in a protocol database resident on a digital storage medium. 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the electronic link is a hypertext link. 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein permitting the physician to prescribe a treatment includes, when a treatment is being prescribed by a physician, communicating a prescription over the network to a pharmacy. 
     
     
       13. A method according to  claim 12 , wherein communicating the prescription over the network to the pharmacy includes communicating to the pharmacy instructions to be given to the patient pertaining to the treatment of the patient. 
     
     
       14. A method according to either of claims  12  or  13 , wherein communicating the prescription over the network to the pharmacy includes communicating the prescription to the pharmacy via a hypertext link included in a relevant segment of a protocol stored in a database resident on a digital storage medium. 
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein permitting the physician to conduct the examination is accomplished under conditions such that the examination is conducted without medical instruments at the patient terminal where the patient is located. 
     
     
       16. A system for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services from a physician to a patient over a network, the system comprising: 
       a. a first plurality of physician terminals, each of the first plurality of physician terminals including a display device;  
       b. a second plurality of patient terminals in audiovisual communication over a network with any of the first plurality of physician terminals;  
       c. a physician call center in communication with the patient terminals and the physician terminals, the physician call center routing a call from a patient at one of the patient terminals to an available physician at one of the physician terminals, so that the available physician may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient; and  
       d. a protocol database resident on a digital storage medium, accessible to each of the physician call terminals, the protocol database containing a plurality of protocol segments such that a relevant segment of the protocol may be displayed in real time on the display device of the physician terminal of the available physician for use by the available physician in making an assessment whether the patient may be suffering from an acute non-urgent condition.  
     
     
       17. A system according to  claim 16 , wherein the relevant segment of the protocol displayed in real time on the display device of the physician terminal includes an electronic link that establishes communication between the available physician and a third party. 
     
     
       18. A system according to  claim 17 , wherein the third party is one or more of a primary care physician, specialist, hospital, emergency room, ambulance service, clinic or pharmacy. 
     
     
       19. A system according to either of claims  17  or  18 , wherein the electronic link is a hypertext link. 
     
     
       20. A system according to  claim 16 , further comprising a patient database accessible to each of the physician terminals for storing patient information. 
     
     
       21. A system according to  claim 20 , wherein the patient information is displayed on the display device of the physician terminal of the available physician. 
     
     
       22. A system according to  claim 16 , further including a medication database accessible to each of the physician terminals for storing medication information. 
     
     
       23. A system according to  claim 16 , wherein each patient terminal is configured to permit the available physician to conduct an examination of the patient, including by visual observation of the patient, while the patient is standing. 
     
     
       24. A system according to  claim 16 , wherein one or more of the patient terminals includes a telephone such that a patient may establish a direct connection to the physician call center by picking up the telephone receiver. 
     
     
       25. A system according to  claim 16 , wherein the protocol database is resident on a server that is in communication with each of the physician terminals. 
     
     
       26. A system according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the physician terminals includes a local storage device and the protocol database is replicated on the local storage device of one or more of the physician terminals. 
     
     
       27. A system for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services from a physician to a patient over a network, the system comprising: 
       a. a first plurality of physician terminals, each of the first plurality of physician terminals including a display device;  
       b. a second plurality of patient terminals in audiovisual communication over a network with any of the first plurality of physician terminals;  
       c. a physician call center in communication with the patient terminals and the physician terminals, the physician call center routing a call from a patient at one of the patient terminals to an available physician at one of the physician terminals, so that the available physician may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient.  
     
     
       28. A system according to  claim 27 , further comprising a protocol database resident on a digital storage medium, accessible to each of the physician call terminals, the protocol database containing a plurality of protocol segments such that a relevant segment of the protocol may be displayed in real time on the display device of the physician terminal of the available physician for use by the available physician in making an assessment whether the patient may be suffering from an acute non-urgent condition. 
     
     
       29. A system according to  claim 27 , wherein the relevant segment of the protocol displayed in real time on the display device of the physician terminal includes an electronic link that establishes communication between the available physician and a third party. 
     
     
       30. A system according to  claim 29 , wherein the third party is a one or more of a primary care physician, specialist, hospital, emergency room, ambulance service, clinic or pharmacy. 
     
     
       31. A system according to either of claims  29  or  30 , wherein the electronic link is a hypertext link. 
     
     
       32. A system according either of claims  27  or  28 , further comprising a patient database accessible to each of the physician terminals for storing patient information. 
     
     
       33. A system according to  claim 32 , wherein the patient information is displayed on the display device of the physician terminal of the available physician. 
     
     
       34. A system according to any of claims  27 - 32 , further comprising a medication database accessible to each of the physician terminals for storing medication information. 
     
     
       35. A system according to  claim 27 , wherein each patient terminal is configured to permit the available physician to conduct an examination of the patient, including by visual observation of the patient, while the patient is standing. 
     
     
       36. A system according to  claim 27 , wherein one or more of the patient terminals includes a telephone such that a patient may establish a direct connection to the physician call center by picking up the telephone receiver. 
     
     
       37. A system according to  claim 27 , wherein the protocol database is resident on a server that is in communication with each of the physician terminals. 
     
     
       38. A system according to  claim 27 , wherein each of the physician terminals includes a local storage device and the protocol database is replicated on the local storage device of one or more of the physician terminals. 
     
     
       39. A method for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services from a physician to a patient over a network, the method comprising: 
       a. providing a physician call center enabling any of a first plurality of physician terminals to be in audiovisual communication over the network with any of a second plurality of patient terminals;  
       b. receiving a call at the physician call center from a patient at one of the patient terminals and routing the call to an available physician at one of the physician terminals, so that the available physician may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient; and  
       c permitting the available physician to visually study the patient via a camera having pan, tilt and zoom modes controlled by the available physician, to make an assessment whether the patient may be suffering from an acute non-urgent condition.  
     
     
       40. A system for delivering medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment services from a physician to a patient over a network, the system comprising: 
       a. a first plurality of physician terminals, each of the first plurality of physician terminals including a display device;  
       b. a second plurality of patient terminals in audiovisual communication over a network with any of the first plurality of physician terminals, each of the second plurality of patient terminals including a camera having pan, tilt and zoom modes, such modes being controlled from the first plurality of physician terminals; and  
       c. a physician call center in communication with the patient terminals and the physician terminals, the physician call center routing a call from a patient at one of the patient terminals to an available physician at one of the physician terminals, so that the available physician may carry on a two-way conversation with the patient and visually observe the patient.